Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-10-18

The worst foes Mr.. Powderly has TO face seem 10
be those Of his own oficial family within the
knights Of Labor. Yesterday two OF them made
bold and indecent attack upon him during the ses-
sion OF the general assembly. Not content with
dragging politics into the order, they needs must
lay coarse hands on religion too, They accuse
Mr. Powderiy OF having made an alliance with the
Catholic church, 70 the detriment OF the asSocia
ton. IL would have amounted to the same thing
n he had been an Episcopaliln, Presbyterian, a
Methodist, Baptist, a Jew, or member Of any
other religious Denomination for that matter. All
the churches TO their honor be IL said, stand by
the laws OF the land as opposed TO the poisonous
social here5ies OF anarchism In its various forms
Any man OF prominence who stands by the consti-
tuition OF the United states Is bound 10 be q tar
get for the shafts Of fanatics and conspira-
tors. he happens TO be, like Mr.. Powderiy.
attached 70 particular church, he Is liable TO be
assailed also a slave OF ecclesiasticsm. No such
man need give the matter a second thought. He
knows he Is night, and can AFFORD 70 maintain his
opinions In spite OF vituperative ninga Moreover
the sober sense OF his fellow men Will sustain him
every time, as witness the prompt response OF the
assembly yesterday when Mr.. Powderly and the
majority Of his associates In the executive board
proposed to resign The day Is happily, stiil far
distant when the workingmen OF America can be
induced, In large body, 70 Join movement for
destroying the free Institutions which are at
once their protection and their righteous pride.
The advantages which Washington offers as the
city OF national conventions have been commented
upon many times in the past, the great obstacle
OF the lack OF hall OF the size necessary TO accom-
nodate q vast assemplage has been frequently
recognized, and various unsuccessful movements
have been made In the direction OF removing this
obstacle, ard Of securing for the city recognized
position the meeting place OF national organiza
tons The argument in favor Of the use OF WASH
ington for this purpose grows stronger every year.
The prospect OF adequate pecuniary returns would
doubtless bring about the necessary enlargement
OF hotel facilities II Washington should become
the eonyention city. But the erection Of g.
vast meeting hall would perhaps not be In Itself
paying Individual Investment. Public spirit and
the selnterest Of that part OF cur citizens which
VIII profit directly BY the presence Of q crowd OF
people at Washington must be depended upon to
give the hall project substantial backing. II Is
70 be hoped that the movement now on foot TO Sc
cure the selection OF Washington as the meeting
place of the next democratic nominating couyen.
ton viii receive the necessary encouragement and
assistance from the people OF the city, and that it
may result more successfully than other and simi-
lar efforts. Not only would the convention be a
great event In Itself, but It would probably solve
the troublesome problem of a pubic hall and
equip Washington for future conventions
James Russen Lowell in his letter read at the
Strarford fountain dedication yesterday, gave a
witty thrust az the Baeonian theory BY suggesting
the observation-disclosures quite as capable OF
proof-that shakspere wrote the "Noyum Or
ganum" instead OF that Bacon wrote, 'sAs You
Like II" Mr.. george W. Childs, who presented the
fountain, and who exhibited his usual good taste
In the manner Of doing this graceful deed has not
been frightened from his purpose by the chatter
OF the polemists either side OF this hard-waged
controversy. II Is shakspere the genius after
al, rather than shakspere the man, whose
greatness Il commemorated. Whether he wrote
the plays that bear his imprint or whether they
were the joint work OF his own hand and another,
or whether his title 70 their authorship was
wholly imaginary; matters little 70 the devout
STUDENT OF these masterpieces IL Is their
Individuality as works. not their reflection OF the
personality Of their creator that constitutes their
charm; and II some future iconoclast should do
for English literature OF the Elzabethan era what
Nieouhr did for the traditions OF early Rome, and
reduce the personality Of both SHAKESPEARE and Ba-
con 70 the shadowy outlines OF Romuius and
Rernus and Suma, the monument which Mr.. Childs
has raised 70 the genius OF the unknown master
whose name Is attached 70 the greatest products
Of an English pen would lose nothing In Sgnin-
canoe. but have the same value as a memorial TO
the scholars OF centuries hence as 70 their great
great-grandsirss.of to-day.
The Commissioners deserve and viii receive
hearty encouragement and support In every
sincere effort 70 rid the city, so far as lies In their
power. Of the most Objectionable liquor saloons
Too great care cannot be used In the investigation
preliminary 70 the granting OF q license, and the
exercise OF wide discretion In refusing 20 author
ize too frequent saloons saloons otherwise speci-
ally Questionable viii receive popular support
No one probably can blame the Commissioners for
hesltating % 80 act under an apparent discretion
given them in the execution OF a license law as 70